Articles
The goal of The Practice Solution Magazine is to provide practice owners with practice management information that will assist them in achieving success.
Screening Applicants
Finding a new employee is a very time consuming process. To consolidate efforts and streamline the initial stage of the interview and selection process, have all of the applicants who meet the basic criteria…
How to Increase Your Collections
Every doctor has a different idea about what a good collection percentage is as well as how to collect money for services rendered.
Resolving Negativity in the Office
Since dealing with staff bickering and personality conflicts can be a major source of stress in an office, knowing how to deal with it can be extremely useful. When you let employee situations linger too long…
How to Handle Confrontation With Your Staff
A very common confession I hear when I analyze practices is that the executive isn’t good with confrontation and thus lets things slide when they shouldn’t. I want to address this issue for a number of reasons:
Where is Your Net Profit?
Where is your net profit? Did you work hard all week just to earn less money? The bank balance should be going up, not down!
Presenting Treatment Plans – the Do’s and Don’ts
Proper treatment-plan presentation can boom your practice, give your patients the best quality of care and can give you the ability to demonstrate how much you care for your patients. It can also generate more referrals from happy patients and help the practice to grow to its fullest.
Discussing Payment: How to be Both Polite and Effective
You should always assume that a patient/client can afford the recommended treatment when discussing payment with him. Don’t be shy, embarrassed or apologetic about the cost of your services. This can give the appearance that the treatment isn’t worth the fee being charged…
14 Steps to Safeguard Your Practice From Embezzlement
More than likely, you’ve heard the horror story about a colleague whose trusted employee embezzled money from his/her practice. To preclude this from happening to you, there are steps that you could take to minimize the risk of embezzlement.
Tips to Minimize Cancellations and Improve Appointment Control
There is an impression with healthcare practitioners everywhere that all a practice has to do to increase production is to increase the number of new patients. More new patients is often the universal solvent for an under-producing office.
How to increase efficiency, productivity and net profit in a private practice
There is an impression with healthcare practitioners everywhere that all a practice has to do to increase production is to increase the number of new patients. More new patients is often the universal solvent for an under-producing office.
Two Steps You Must Do Prior to a Successful Marketing Campaign
To craft a successful marketing campaign for your practice, you must first conduct some basic research that will start to identify what your marketing plan and promotional pieces will look like and the message they should deliver.
Leadership Attributes and Management Qualities
As a practice owner, you should be asking yourself the following questions objectively:
Am I a good leader?
Do I run from conflict?
Am I able to motivate my staff?
Is my office harmonious or is it filled with conflict?
Does my staff “own” their jobs, or do they just punch in and out?
Do I ever feel that my staff is “holding me hostage”?
Am I running my practice? …or is my practice running me?
What Are the Four Components of Great Service?
There are Four Components of Great Service. Great service to your patients/clients is one of the most important factors required to build a successful and thriving practice. Under the heading of great service, you will find the following key components…
Cutting Down Costs Vs. Increasing Production
Pretty much every owner wishes to increase their net income. Factually, there are only two ways to accomplish that…
A Functioning Office Manager
The primary function of the office manager is to accomplish the goals and purposes of the practice as determined by the owner of the practice. The OM should assist the owner in developing policies that forward the purpose of the business as a whole…
How to Properly Correct Employees in a Private Practice
It would be wonderful if employees never make mistakes and always do a perfect job. But we’re all human so what do you do when a staff member messes up and how do you correct him?
How to Structure a Bonus Plan in a Private Practice
It is very wise to have a bonus plan for staff in operation in your office. If you reward staff for increasing their production and the production of the practice, they will naturally want to continue to do that, and the whole staff will tend to operate much more as a team.
The Importance of Implementing Profitable Communication Systems
One of the key elements in running a successful practice is the actual communication level of the practice.
5 tips to deal with overwhelm in a private practice
With private practice ownership already a challenging environment, how do you cope with the sense of overwhelm?
Providing a Firm Foundation Through Written Office Policy
In order to function most effectively as a team, agreements must be known and adhered to for smooth, efficient coordination and cooperation. This is also known as “policy.” As long as people know what the rules of the activity are, and those guidelines are…
How to Deal with Canceled or Rescheduled Appointments
One of the most common problems doctors want help with is dealing with canceled or rescheduled appointments, you can control this.
12 Steps to Collect Past Due Accounts
Collecting on past due accounts is a function that the Accounts Manager will find herself/himself having to do. Any contact with a patient/client, even under these circumstances, should be…
ACHIEVING BETTER RETENTION AND PATIENT SATISFACTION
More than 88% of consumers today consider credible online reviews equal to a personal referral. Properly managing your online reviews is more important than ever.
The 6 Recovery Strategies for Dealing With the Pandemic
COVID-19 has changed the healthcare profession forever, with practice owners feeling exposed to threats within and outside the clinic. The good news is that, with the right strategies, you can fly past competitors whose slow response time is crippling their ability to deal with issues as they arise.
How Healthcare Marketing Has Changed During COVID
Those patients/clients who do not pay cash at the end of their appointment must be billed through the mail.
5 things you should be doing to get through the Covid 19 crisis
PPP: If you haven’t already applied for PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) do it now. This program allows you to receive 8 weeks worth of funding to go toward your payroll/rent/bills. At the end of the 8 weeks you can apply for loan forgiveness. As long...
Covid-19 and it’s economic impact on private practices
Hello, This is Ken DeRouchie, the editor of The Practice Solution Magazine. On March 11th, I decided that The Practice Solution Magazine needed to shift its focus to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is effecting private practice. This is still an ongoing...
Dealing with a Problem Employee
I received an email from a doctor having a staff problem. I replied to her and thought this might benefit some other people out there. Please see our discussion below: Hi Ken, As an employer, how can you tell your employee to stop his/her: gum smacking,...
Building a Successful Practice Through Efficient Hiring
Those patients/clients who do not pay cash at the end of their appointment must be billed through the mail.
How Do You Hold Employees Accountable For Their Positions?
Surveys show that workers are happiest when they are productive and are contributing to the success of the group in which they work. To boost morale, efficiency and longevity of workers, one must: understand the...
Generating New Patients by Using Surveys
How do you market for new patients in a cost efficient and effective manner? Starting with internal marketing is always the best approach, as it produces the most cost effective return, which is of utmost importance in managing a practice. Surveys are...
Your Responsibility to Your Staff
Just as your staff has responsibilities to you and your practice, you likewise have several responsibilities to your practice and staff. The complexity of active leadership can be best understood by breaking it down into its essential and integral parts:...
Turn a 40 Hour Week Into 30 and Stay Profitable
Do you ever get to the end of the day and realize that you didn’t get half of the things done that you intended to get done?
How to Write a Mission Statement
The owner of a veterinary practice recently asked us about how a mission statement should be written, what it should focus on and what the final objective should be. This example is for this particular veterinary...
How to Guarantee a Satisfactory Retirement Fund
It is never too early in your career to start funding your retirement. You may only be one day out of school, but you should be thinking about and planning out a retirement fund. We have found from our surveys that an ongoing decline of interest in...
Did You Hire the Wrong Person?
A recent survey conducted with practice owners across the US revealed that the number-one management problem they have is personnel issues. Among the problems mentioned by hundreds of owners surveyed were: Procuring qualified personnel, Getting employees...
Optimize Your Marketing
In today’s economic climate a great deal can be said for the benefits of marketing effectively. There are many mediums for marketing a practice – referrals from existing patients/clients are normally the best and most cost effective means of getting new...
Vital Steps for Collecting Money Over the Phone
In any practice, Accounts Receivable exist. Whoever collects money in your organization needs to know that this particular job has a two-fold purpose: To bring the patient/client’s account current To maintain sufficient goodwill with the patient/client...
Get Your Promotion Organized: A Promotion and Marketing Calendar – Part 1
Have you ever noticed that you have all sorts of great marketing and promotional ideas that you just never seem to put into action? Do you realize during a staff meeting that those brilliant ideas that captured everyone’s attention and agreement in the...
Marketing and Promotion Ideas for Your Practice
In my nearly 23 years of delivering practice management training and consulting, I’ve found that of all of the marketing techniques available, properly asking for referrals is easily one of the most useful marketing and promotional ideas for your...
Putting New Employees on the Job
Practice owners bring on new employees for a variety of reasons. Often, when practices are undergoing expansion of production and income, they require increased staffing.
Proper Case Presentation and Better Case Acceptance
We have found that doctors can lose thousands of dollars per month because they are unaware of some of the principles associated with proper case presentation and case acceptance. In addition, sometimes the best treatment planning and case presentation...
How Do You Get Your Employees to Think Like You Do?
The Mission Statement A primary responsibility of the owner of a practice or a business is to set the pace and direction for the practice or business by contemplating, defining and establishing exactly what the mission of the practice or business is. By...
Recruiting New Employees
Who, what, when, where and how: It is a 100% certainty that with any practice you will need new employees at some point in time, either to replace employees who leave or to help the practice grow. Where do you find the type of people you want to work...
The Key to Effective Marketing: Surveys
Surveys can save you time and wasted effort. By properly utilizing surveys, you will not be shooting in the dark when you implement a new idea. You will not be left wondering why people are not coming back to your practice. You will know what your public...
Public Relations and Social Responsibility
This article concerns the benefits of getting out of the office and getting actively involved in your community. Whether it’s sponsoring your local little league team, encouraging your area’s children’s museum to do an eye screening or “Celebration of...
Streamlining Your Collections
Those patients/clients who do not pay cash at the end of their appointment must be billed through the mail.
How to Set Reminders for Continual Services (Recall)
Whether you are using an automatic reminder system, or it is someone's job function to send out reminders; or a combination of both. The below information will be highly beneficial to increase your appointments scheduled, reactivating clients/patients...
How The Practice Solution Works
Here is a video that we have put together explaining how The Practice Solution works and how wego about compiling practice management articles and resources for our readers.As you can see, everything that we do depends on the help and cooperation of practice owners...
Termination Series:
A Constructive Face-to-Face Termination
This article is a continuation of our termination series. To view the previous article, click here. This series will go over how a termination decision should be made, how the organization handles problems before making a termination and how to convey the news for a...
Termination Series:
Guidelines to Follow When Terminating
This article is a continuation of our termination series. To view the previous article, click here. This series will go over how a termination decision should be made, how the organization handles problems before making a termination and how to convey the news for a...
Termination Series:
Making the Decision. Should I Fire My Employee?
This series will go over how a termination decision should be made, how the organization handles problems before making a termination and how to convey the news for a constructive face-to-face termination. There are specific guidelines when terminating because all of...
The Underrated Business Card
Business cards don’t seem to be in vogue as of recently, however they are still a highly effective
Reactivating Patients: How to Get Them Back
If you were to calculate the value of each patient or client visit and multiply that by the number of patients or clients you have not seen for 6 months
How Valuable is that Employee?
Performance evaluation is viewed as a process to ensure a high quality of service
Marketing: Why are Surveys Important to Your Practice?
Are you as confident in your ability to get a steady flow of new patients into your practice as you are in your ability to provide high quality technical care? You should know that successful marketing has a technology that, when applied correctly, will...
How to take ownership of your Google+ and Yelp pages
How to take ownership of your Google+ and Yelp pages Over the past few months we’ve done several articles about consumer reviews and their importance. A question I often get asked has to do with claiming one’s business page in Google+ and Yelp. Many practice owners...
The Official Dirt Cheap Marketing Checklist
This article is a continuation of The Truth About Referral Marketing. If you haven’t done so yet, we recommend reading the first article to get a better context when reading this one. The following is a list of other successful actions you can do to promote your...
The Truth About Referral Marketing
The Truth About Referral Marketing In my nearly 23 years of delivering practice management training and consulting, I’ve found that of all of the marketing techniques available, properly asking for referrals is easily the most useful. There are several reasons for...
[ Video ] Your Google and Yelp Reviews
More than 88% of consumers today consider credible online reviews equal to a personal referral. Properly managing your online reviews is more important than ever.
Getting Your Staff on the Same Page
This article is a continuation of Critical Practice Foundations. If you haven’t done so yet, we recommend reading the first article to get a better context. The Staff Meeting One very important activity you, as the owner, should implement is a...
Critical Practice Foundations
Most doctors, when starting their practices, miss some of the basic actions that should be established prior to opening. An owner of a healthcare practice should always, as a first step, work out the following basics:
Real Office Policy Examples and Checklist
Below is a list of items that should be included in any basic office policy or policies: Patient Relations Sexual Harassment Orientation and Training Work Hours Fringe Benefits Solicitation Equal Opportunity Statement Terms of At-Will Employment...
Forming Office Policy
All doctors are extremely well trained in their profession. Unfortunately, very few doctors are trained in business or employee handbook policy creation and their appropriate implementation.
Internal and External Marketing
There are two areas in a practice that are targeted when marketing your practice. The first is internal; the second is external. “Internal” deals with dissemination and promotion within your practice and to already-established patients. It includes things such as:
Guest column: Coping With Conflict – Part Two
A Layperson’s guide to resolving conflict in the office By Daniel A. Bobrow, MBA President, American Dental Company Part two in a series of two articles In last issue’s article, we discussed models and tenets used to resolve conflict. In this part, I’ll go over the...
Case for Change in Dental Education Curricula
The American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (ADEA CCI) was created to serve as a focal meeting place where dental educators and administrators, organized dentistry, and the licensure, accreditation, and...
Music, Physics, A Sailboat and Dentistry
Profile: Dr. David Matthews Practice: David R. Matthews Dental Group, LLC Location: Eugene, Oregon Music, Physics, A Sailboat and Dentistry A music teacher with a penchant for physics, Dr. Dave Matthews changed careers after ten years of teaching music to become a...
PROFILE: EZEKIAL THOMAS, DVM
PRACTICE: RIVER FOREST ANIMAL HOSPITAL LOCATION: SARASOTA, FLORIDA Handling National Chain Competition by Learning How to Run a Business. Dr. Ezekial (Zeke) Thomas has been in practice for 46 years. He is a small animal vet and works with exotics such as reptiles and...
Saliva as a Diagnostic Tool for Periodontal Disease
A University of Kentucky research study could help change the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease. An article, “Salivary Biomarkers of Existing Periodontal Disease,” discusses the importance of saliva and its potential to be a diagnostic tool. The study was...
Search Engine Marketing –
Why Does SEO Matter More In a “Down Economy?’ By Lisa Thayer, GoldfishNetwork.com The question on many business owners’ minds today is “How should I market my company given the current state of the economy?” The short answer is by placing your marketing dollars in...
Claims Against Dental Amalgam Lack Scientific Evidence
PANEL REPORT FINDS HEALTH CLAIMS AGAINST DENTAL AMALGAM LACK SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE The American Dental Association recently announced that a review of seven years worth of scientific studies concludes there is insufficient evidence “of a link between dental mercury and...
Guidelines Change for Preventive Antibiotics
Guidelines Change for Preventive Antibiotics Before Dental Work According to new guidelines, far fewer people need preventive antibiotics before dental procedures than previously recommended, according to a recent issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource. The use of...
When the Doctor is Away
How you keep the office running If you as the doctor/owner are planning to be away from the office – even for a day or two – the staff has some free time, too. The doctor/owner or office manager can make lists of things that need to be done. Make sure that if your...
Are Lasers the Wave-Light of the Future?
New applications and lower prices might allow lasers to replace traditional dental tools CHICAGO (Academy of General Dentistry) -Would you spend more than $40,000 on equipment that would allow you to complete oral surgeries with virtually no pain or blood and a vastly...
Music, Physics, A Sailboat and Dentistry
Profile: Dr. David Matthews Practice: David R. Matthews Dental Group, LLC Location: Eugene, Oregon Music, Physics, A Sailboat and Dentistry A music teacher with a penchant for physics, Dr. Dave Matthews changed careers after ten years of teaching music to become a...
Don’t Let Your Mouth Pollute Your Clean Heart
Levels of Bacteria in Plaque Beneath the Gum Line May Increase Risk for Heart Attacks CHICAGO (American Academy of Periodontology) -Researchers have found evidence that the amount of bacteria in subgingival plaques, the deep plaques in periodontal pockets and around...
Dental Center Takes a 900-Mile Detour for Disaster Relief
American Dental Association and Henry Schein Send ‘Tomorrow’s Dental Office – Today!’ to Help Mississippi Gulf Coast Residents; State-of-the-Art Dental Treatment Center Takes a 900-Mile Detour for Disaster Relief Answering the request of the Mississippi Department of...
Guest Column: Infection control By Barry Levy, DDS
In the last issue of Solutions, I discussed the problems with “minimum standards” of infection control and how the dental practice act in California mandated “sterile gloves” for surgical procedures that involve soft tissue or bone. This is a situation that applies to...
From the Editor
Hello and thanks for taking the time to stop by The Practice Solution Magazine. My name is Ken DeRouchie and I am the newly appointed editor of the magazine and this is my first From The Editor article. Ten years ago, in 2002, I helped launch this magazine and bring...
Making Financial Arrangements
Ensuring Your Office Gets Paid It is the responsibility of the accounts manager to sit down with the patient/client and work out the best financial arrangement within the framework of the policies of your office. Bear in mind that the ideal plan would be one that...
Veterinary Foundation Offers Grants To Cover Costs
Veterinary Foundation Offers Grants To Cover Costs Of Care After Hurricanes The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is urging veterinarians to apply for grants of up to $2,000 to cover costs incurred by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Eligible applicants are...
Project Could Help Pets Serve As Disease Watchdogs
A national surveillance network that uses the medical records of companion animals could help prepare for a wide variety of emerging disease threats to humans and animals, including avian influenza, according to veterinary scientists at Purdue University’s School of...
AMA Joins AVMA Initiative to Strengthen Medicine
AMA Joins AVMA ‘One Health’ Initiative to Strengthen Medicine by Working Together The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced today that the American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a resolution calling for collaboration on a One Health...
Optometry Awards Contact Lenses With Seal of Acceptance
World Council of Optometry Awards UV Absorbing Contact Lenses With Global Seal of Acceptance The World Council of Optometry’s (WCO) Global Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing Contact Lenses was awarded to Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. The...
An Eye Disease or Systemic Disorder?
Hearing Loss Study Adds to the Evidence Shahin Yazdani, MD, and his research team evaluated whether patients with ocular pseudoexfoliation syndrome—the most common cause worldwide of the form of glaucoma known as “secondary open angle”—had a higher incidence of...
3 Easy steps to reducing stress in your practice.
How can you expand if your staff are stressed out? Staff bickering and personality conflicts can be a major source of stress in an office, knowing how to deal with it can be extremely useful. If you let employee situations go on for too long, bad things happen and you...
What is one of the biggest hindrances to expansion in any practice?
Cancellations and Broken Appointments. Broken appointments or cancellations are symptoms of other problems. This may be a way that the client is telling you that they are not satisfied with their service received or they have some financial concerns. What can be done...
Watching Out for Harassment in Your Practice
These days most business owners are aware of sexual harassment and the need for having policies and employee training on this type of conduct. But sexual harassment is only one form of workplace conduct that any practice must do everything possible to prevent. There...
The Cost of Employee Turnover
All of the information we’ve written about on proper hiring and training procedures in this and past issues of The Practice Solution are based upon several key issues: a) to have the most productive office possible you have to have a team of good staff, working well...
Independent Contractors
Our readership, for the most part, is made up of privately owned health care practices in the dental, veterinary and optometric fields. It is not uncommon for them to occasionally hire outside vendors to do sporadic work here and there. Therefore we want to help you...
Hiring Techniques
The Application One of the areas we are regularly asked about is how to best read and evaluate an employment application. Here are some things you can look for on an application that will give you an initial “feel” for the applicant. • Neatness • Completeness • Does...
Vacation Policy
One of the key areas that we’ve helped practice owners with is office policy. In this article we’ll present some ideas on what you can include in an office policy having to do with vacations. The importance of having and using office policies that cover the rules,...
What Goes in a Job Description
I can’t stress enough the importance of implementing proper, well written job descriptions and office policies into your practices. As few doctors are trained in practice management or management and executive skills while in professional school, most doctors have to...
The Practice Solution Magazine is now on Facebook
The Practice Solution Magazine is now on Facebook. Please stop by, like the page and interact with us there. We would love to hear your feedback on articles we’ve posted. Feel free to offer us ideas for articles as well. We would love to hear from you so come on by...
From the Editor
Hello and thanks for taking the time to stop by The Practice Solution Magazine. My name is Ken DeRouchie and I am the newly appointed editor of the magazine and this is my first From The Editor article. Ten years ago, in 2002, I helped launch this magazine and bring...
The Benefits of Regular Practice Newsletters
Marketing is a vital part of the management of any business, whether a health care practice or any business in general. Implementing successful marketing actions that help increase the number of new patients/clients as well as help facilitate the retention of existing...
Amalgam Fillings Don’t Affect Children’s Brain Development
Dental amalgam tooth fillings do not adversely affect children’s brain development and neurological status, researchers report in the February issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association. The authors of the report-members of a joint team from the...
Bioluminescence Imaging Used for Eye Cancer Detection
Newswise —At the moment, doctors rely on biopsy analysis to determine the progression of eye cancer. However, researchers now believe that a new technology, bioluminescence imaging (BLI), will allow doctors to detect tumors earlier and quickly choose a method of...
Identifying Patients at Risk for Fatal Cardiovascular Event
A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for further evaluation. Published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dental...
You can’t control the economy…
You can’t control the economy, but you can control your practice. By: Ken DeRouchie I have recently been interviewing doctors around the country regarding how the economy has been affecting their practice and what they have been doing to keep their practice...
How to Survive Today’s Economic Time’s
by Shaw Millerman Recently the President addressed the nation regarding the economic situation we are all experiencing in this country and around the world. It is very clear that we are now seeing the very obvious signs of a national recession, despite whatever spin...
Letter to the Editor – Sleep Medicine
Letter to the Editor By David E Lawler, DDS, D. ABDSM Bloomington, IN Hello, This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed for an article in The Practice Solution Magazine by one of your research staff. As a result of this interview, I want to encourage you to...
The Times they are a Changing.
As an employer and a manager, I long ago learned the value of keeping up to date on the ever -changing rules of doing business in my home state. Recently, I was presented with a concern of an employee that wanted to take maternity leave from work as afforded to her by...
The Problem with Policy
“My employee was late 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Per our office policy, I am supposed to suspend her for one day with out pay. We are really busy this week and I really need her to work. What should I do?” The problem that you have here is not uncommon. Unless you...
ECONOMIC WOES LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT DISHONESTY
Employee dishonesty can take many forms. No one seems to be exempt, and tough economic times only make matters worse. Although embezzlement can happen at all levels, we have encountered a number of situations in small to medium sized companies where employees were...
From the Editor
For starters, we wish to thank everyone reading our on-line magazine for the massive amount of help you provided in our continual surveying of practice owners. Our survey team was very busy last quarter calling all over the U.S. and Canada. The survey results were...
Veterinary Medicine Contributes to New England Economy
Veterinary Medicine Contributes $3.3 Billion to New England Economy Newswise – Veterinary medicine contributes $3.3 billion to the economies of New England-and the region faces a shortage of as many as 658 veterinarians by 2014, according to a study released today by...
NC State Offers Canine Bone Marrow Transplants
Newswise – Dogs suffering from lymphoma will be able to receive the same type of medical treatment as their human counterparts, as North Carolina State University becomes the first university in the nation to offer canine bone marrow transplants in a clinical setting....
Veterinary Researcher Studying Brain Tumors
Veterinary Researcher Studying Brain Tumors in People, Animals Newswise – A veterinary neurologist on faculty in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech has been awarded funding from the Wake Forest University Translational...
“Lazy Eye” Treatment Shows Promise in Adults
Newswise – New evidence from a laboratory study and a pilot clinical trial confirms the promise of a simple treatment for amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” according to researchers from the U.S. and China. The treatment was effective on 20-year-old subjects. Amblyopia was...
Tears Reveal Secrets
Tears Reveal Some of Their Deepest Secrets to Researchers Newswise – It’s no secret why we shed tears. But exactly what our tears are made of has remained a mystery to scientists. A new study sheds some light on the complex design of tears. What we think of as tears,...
The Lessons I’ve Learned by Lee Shuwarger, O.D.
The Lessons I’ve Learned “The Lessons I’ve Learned in My Journey to Become a Professional Practice Owner” Part One: “What I Did Wrong” by Lee Shuwarger, O.D. Right off the bat, I can guess what you are thinking – why would anybody write about everything they did...
Cannabis Indicated as Possible Risk for Gum Disease
Cannabis Indicated as Possible Risk for Gum Disease in Young People Newswise – Young people who are heavy smokers of cannabis may be putting themselves at significant risk for periodontal disease, according to new research. The study, published in the Feb. 6 issue of...
Researchers Use A Patient’s Own Bone To Accelerate Orthodontics
Newswise – Researchers at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry say they have improved upon a surgical procedure developed by periodontist Tom Wilcko that rapidly straightens teeth, delivering a healthy bite and attractive smile in months instead...
Economic Fears Can Affect Dental Care
Newswise – Regular checkups and cleaning can save money in the end by heading off problems early. Nevertheless, when times get tough and people start losing their jobs, preventive dental care can be one of the first things to go. However, the correlation between...
Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders
Letter to the Editor By David E Lawler, DDS, D. ABDSM Bloomington, IN Hello, This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed for an article in The Practice Solution Magazine by one of your research staff. As a result of this interview, I want to encourage you to...
Search Engine Marketing for Practices
(Article 2 of 4 Part Series) By Lisa Thayer, GoldfishNetwork.com “Spiders and crawlers and bots…oh my!” – Two views of the same website One of the most challenging aspects of optimizing a website is that there are two audiences to appeal to: 1) standard website users...
‘Sentinels of the Sea’ Featured in Documentary
They take on military assignments impossible for humans, and even robots, to perform. They are rewarded with fresh food, protection from predators and loving human contact. These unheralded, unknown, and often misunderstood marine mammals are saving countless lives...
From the Editor- Managing Your Practice’s Finances
The Bane and Boon of Your Practice Did you go to medical school to learn how to juggle your accounts payables and receivables? Did you spend 10 years going to school to figure out how to set up workable collection procedures with your patients and clients? I didn’t...
Cruel Deaths in Mexico a Result of…
Closing U.S. Horse Processing Plants Efforts to shut down horse processing plants in the United States have led to increased abandonment and neglect of horses in this country and the inhumane death of horses in Mexico, according to the American Veterinary Medical...
Veterinary Advisory: Canine Influenza Virus
University of Florida researchers report that outbreaks of canine influenza virus, which causes an acute respiratory infection, have been identified in dogs in shelters, humane societies, boarding facilities and veterinary clinics in Florida, predominantly in Broward,...
Congress Moves Children’s Vision Bill Forward
Legislation an Important Step Toward Addressing the Uninsured For the first time, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation supported by the American Academy of Ophthalmology to combat undiagnosed and untreated vision problems in children. In a move...
‘Twinkle after effect’ can help retinal patients
detect vision loss quickly and cheaply Scientists hope to make it available online Scientists at Schepens Eye Research Institute have discovered a simple and inexpensive way for patients with retinal and other eye disease to keep track of changes in their vision loss....
Scientists Discover How Maternal Smoking
Can Cause Cleft Lip and Palate Scientists supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, report that women who smoke during pregnancy and carry a fetus whose DNA lacks both copies of a gene...
Periodontal Diseases Are Blind to Age
Two studies suggest that periodontal diseases should be a concern to women of all ages Two studies in a recent issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) suggest that periodontal diseases are a threat to women of all ages due to hormonal fluctuations that occur at...
Root Canals Just as Effective as Dental Implants
Dentists Emphasize Saving Natural Teeth and Patient-Specific Considerations For patients torn between the best way to treat a compromised tooth, the choice just got clearer. A recent systematic review comparing two of the most common treatment options – root canals...
THE GOVERNMENT HELPS OUT ON NEW EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
Taking Advantage of the IRS Section 179 Write-Off Written by Brad Beck, Vice President Bank of America Practice Solutions What did you think the chances were that a banker would not start anything that is printed on paper without a disclaimer? Well if you took the...
Extending Credit
Tips to Control Your Accounts Receivable Following are some guidelines to assist you in determining to whom you wish to extend credit and how to go about collecting on those accounts. * Assess the patient/client’s credit worthiness before extending any sort of credit....
Help Stop This Deadly Disease
BATAVIA, Ill.-(Business Wire)-April 2, 2009 – According to a recent study conducted by The American Heartworm Society (AHS), heartworm disease continues to be a major health concern throughout the United States. The study indicates the need to continue to raise...
“Should I Lease or Should I Buy, That is The Question”?
by Brad Beck Vice President, Banc of American Practice Solutions Are you still writing rent checks? Have you ever asked yourself; “would I be better off purchasing a location instead of leasing?” In order to answer these questions you need to carefully review the...
The Financial Crisis: A Look Behind The Wizard’s Curtain
By Bruce Wiseman I’m tired of hearing about sub-prime mortgages. It’s as if these things were living entities that had spawned an epidemic of economic pornography. Sub-prime mortgages are as much a cause of the current financial chaos as bullets were for the death of...
Mistakes I Have Made Part II
Lee Shuwarger, O.D. Note: Please see Issue 12 of The Practice Solution Magazine for Part 1 of this story. So, picking up where I left off, I was now unemployed, paying a mortgage on a large house, no patients and a baby on the way. Real estate agents like to say that...
Are Online Pet Drug Companies Stealing Your Business?
How to effectively compete with the internet drug companies There are many companies online that are severely undercutting the profits of veterinarians who would normally be filling the prescriptions. This may or may not be currently affecting your practice but, in...
From the Editor
In this issue of The Practice Solution Magazine you will find several follow up articles from past contributors. One of my favorites is the conclusion of a story of “What I Did Wrong” by Dr Lee Shuwarger of Amarillo, Texas. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of this...
Veterinary Cardiologist Discovers Gene for Heart Disease
WSU veterinary cardiologist Kathryn M. Meurs discovered a mutant gene in the Boxer breed that causes a type of heart disease that can be fatal in animals and humans. The disease is called Boxer cardiomyopathy. The more formal term is arrhythmogenic right ventricular...
42% of Eyeglass, Contact Lens Buyers Research Using Online, Traditional Media Before Purchase
WESTERVILLE, Ohio- (Business Wire)-April 7, 2009 – Forty-two percent of recent eyeglass and contact lens buyers report influence from online media, the same percentage as traditional media, revealing the increasing power of the Internet on purchase decisions,...
Employers Pay High Price for Vision Disorders
Uncorrected Vision Problems Contribute to Decreased Employee Performance Vision disorders carry a hefty price tag for employers and result in a marked decrease in productivity costing businesses an estimated $8 billion annually, according to a new report released by...
Cracking the Root of Tooth Strength
After years of biting and chewing, how are human teeth able to remain intact and functional? A team of researchers from The George Washington University and other international scholars have discovered several features in enamel—the outermost tooth tissue—that...
Acupuncture Eases Radiation-Induced Dry Mouth in Cancer Patients
Twice weekly acupuncture treatments relieve debilitating symptoms of xerostomia – severe dry mouth – among patients treated with radiation for head and neck cancer, researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the current online...
Baltimore Dental Study Offers Model Program to Reduce Tooth Decay in Urban Children
University of Maryland, Baltimore study shows early preventive dental care to toddlers may significantly reduce cavities and cavity-causing bacteria levels in children. © 2009 Newswise — A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore recommends...
Seatbelts Reduce Eye Injury Risk in Auto Accidents
Although airbags in automobiles have helped reduce overall injuries and fatalities by 32 percent since they were introduced in the 1970s, airbag deployment sometimes causes eye injuries, with an estimated incidence of 5 percent. A 2007 study led by Sunil K. Rao, MD,...
Female Vets at Risk of Miscarriage from Anaesthetic Gases and Pestic
Female vets run twice the risk of miscarriage as a result of exposure to anaesthetic gases and pesticides, suggests a study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The findings prompt the authors to call for young female vets to be more clearly advised...
Diagnostic Lab Is Kansas’ First Line Of Defense
Veterinary Diagnostic Lab Is Kansas’ First Line Of Defense Against Bird Flu If the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza ever comes to Kansas, diagnosticians at Kansas State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will be the first to know. The lab, which...
From the Editor
I hope you find this issue as informative as previous issues and I hope to continue to give you the most recent up to date articles on health care and management concerns. In this issue, there is a profile on Dr. Vincent Dolce, DMD of Palm Beach, Florida written by...
Guide For Veterinarians
Includes Unusual Species Adopted Into Human Households And Potential Hazards To Human Health Ferrets, frogs and finches are becoming more common as pets, but the list of unusual species adopted into human households now includes some of the most exotic creatures on...
Are Cataract Rates Declining?
The population-based Beaver Dam Eye Study was designed by Barbara E. K. Klein, MD, MPH, and colleagues to determine through long-term observation whether there were differences among age cohorts regarding rates of cataract prevalence and surgery, as well as type of...
“Fluorescent” Cells Give Early Warning for Eye Disease
Scientists at the University of Michigan have shown that their new metabolic imaging instrument can accurately detect eye disease at a very early stage. Such a device would be vision-saving because many severe eye diseases do not exhibit early warning signals before...
Guest Column: The Business Sense of Dentistry
Profile of Dr. Vincent Dolce, DMD By Charles Friedman As a National Geographic documentary producer, I have had the opportunity to see the world, weave between cultures, and meet many extraordinary individuals. Currently I am working on a documentary for the Florida...
From a Hyundai to the AVMA
Dr. Wendy Emerson Practice: Putnam Veterinary Clinic Location: Topsfield, MA From a Hyundai to the AVMA Dr. Wendy Emerson is a very dedicated veterinarian, both to her practice and to the profession as a whole. After graduating from Tufts University’s School of...
Optometrists Committed to Ensuring No Child is Left Behind
32 Percent of Vision Conditions in Preschoolers Missed As nearly one-third of America’s preschoolers fall through the cracks of vision screenings, the American Optometric Association (AOA) says that change is essential. Calling for a policy of “zero tolerance,” the...
New Law Requiring Eye Exams for Missouri Children
Optometry Backs New Law Requiring Eye Exams for Missouri Children With the support of the Missouri Optometric Association, Gov. Matt Blunt today signed Senate Bill 16 into law, requiring comprehensive eye examinations for children entering kindergarten or first grade...
Expanding Eye and Vision Care in Medically Underserved Areas
Legislation to Expand Access to Eye and Vision Care in Medically Underserved Areas The American Optometric Association, the voice of 34,000 frontline providers of eye and vision care in communities across America, declared its support for legislation introduced in...
Developing Job Descriptions for the Staff
Ensuring Staff Know What They Are Responsible For Having complete job descriptions act as policy for a practice. When a staff member is given a job to do that is not within the purview of their job description, it can create confusion within a practice. Approved job...
New Hope for Pets with Chronic Kidney Disease
A new product available only through veterinarians has been shown to reduce the toxins that build-up in dogs and cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may help improve the quality of life for affected pets – and possibly extend their longevity. “By removing...
From the Editor: Office Basics
Maintaining Stability in your practice At The Practice Solution Magazine, we are constantly doing surveys of health care professionals to help determine what type of information to provide in our upcoming issues. The interviews we do often paint a vivid picture of...
Device screens patients in minutes for periodontal disease
A portable saliva test device developed by a University of Michigan School of Dentistry professor could tell patients in just minutes if they have periodontal disease, a hefty improvement over current methods which require hours of analysis at an off-site lab. The...
Half of General Dentists Placing Dental Implants
The Wealthy Dentist Survey Results Half of general dentists offer their patients surgical dental implants, according to a survey conducted by The Wealthy Dentist. On the other hand, fully four out of five specialists place implants. Dental implants are an essential...
Center For Oral Biology Wins Major Training Grant Renewal
The Center for Oral Biology within the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry has been awarded $4 million to expand its renowned training program for oral biologists and dentist-scientists. New cross-disciplinary training programs will focus on the...
Screening Prospective Patients for Laser Eye Surgery
LASIK Expert Dr. James Salz Provides Strategies in the Review of Ophthalmology For Doctors to Better Screen Prospective Patients for Laser Eye Surgery Dr. James Salz was a featured contributor among several doctors featured in an article entitled “Screening for LASIK:...
Optometry Backs New Bill Before Congress
Optometry Backs New Bill Before Congress to Make Children’s Vision a Top Federal Priority Senator Christopher Bond Uses Personal Experience and Guidance From AOA to Develop Legislation to Boost State Learning Initiatives Congress will have the opportunity to consider...
Survey: America’s Eye Care Knowledge
Survey Says Adults Not Making the Grade When it Comes to Eye Care Knowledge Nearly One-Third of America’s Children Have Never Been to the Eye Doctor As millions of students nationwide head back to school, the American Optometric Association’s first American Eye-Q...
Veterinarian Shortage Poses Threat to Industry, Society
Projected Serious Food Supply Veterinarian Shortage Poses Threat to Industry, Society - America’s livestock and meat industries have one of the world’s best health and safety records, but that status may be threatened in the years ahead because of a projected severe...
Contagious Cancer In Dogs Confirmed
Origins Traced To Wolves Centuries Ago A new study in the journal Cell provides evidence that a form of cancer afflicting dogs has spread from one individual to another by the transmission of the tumor cells themselves. The disease demonstrates how a cancer cell can...
Zoonotic disease control strategies
Zoonotic disease control strategies discussed at 2006 ACVIM forum As global security issues surrounding mad cow disease, avian influenza and the West Nile virus increase, veterinarians across the globe gathered in Louisville, Ky., at the 2006 ACVIM Forum, to discuss...
Surgeon Helps Volunteer Group Reach 20-year Milestone
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Helps Volunteer Group Reach 20-year Milestone When oral and maxillofacial surgeon Louis K. Rafetto, DMD, traveled to Peru to donate his services last February, he became the 5,000th volunteer placement for Health Volunteers Overseas...
Steroid Abuse Harms Gingival Tissues
Researchers found that using anabolic androgenic steroid is associated with gingival enlargement and may increase gingival index scores Researchers found that prolonged use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) is closely associated with significant levels of gingival...
Fluoridated beverage consumption and dental fluorosis:
There’s a connection Fluoride is a mineral that protects against dental cavities; however, too much fluoride during tooth formation can lead to dental fluorosis, which is usually characterized by white streaks or splotches on the teeth. Fluoride is naturally present...
Profile: Dr. Nancy Summer Lerch, DDS
Dentistry and Women’s Advocacy Practice: Center for Esthetic Dentistry Location: New Haven, Connecticut Dr. Nancy Summer Lerch is an evangelist for women in dentistry. “Being a woman in dentistry is a very great asset. Like any asset it’s something to be shared. It’s...
Sight Could Be Restored In Those With Macular Degeneration
A research center newly created by the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) aims to put light-sensitive switches in the body’s cells that can be flipped on and off as easily as a remote control operates a TV. Optical...
AOA Backs Contact Lens Patient Safety Bill
Federal Measure Would Protect Consumers The American Optometric Association(AOA) announced its support for legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives designed to safeguard consumers from deficient or illegal contact lens prescription verification practices used...
Diabetes is the Leading Cause of Blindness Among Most Adults
American Optometric Association Reminds Patients About the Importance of Comprehensive Eye Exams A survey by the American Optometric Association (AOA), the American Eye-Q™ revealed that while more than 60 percent of adults know that diabetes is detectable through a...
Guest column: Dental Legal Issues
Is Fraud like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder? By Dr. Barry Levy, DDS In a case filed last year, a dentist has been criminally charged with fraud, because the dentist diagnosed decay in two teeth, using clinical skills and a DIAGNOdent (a fluorescent laser method...
Guest column: Coping With Conflict
A Layperson’s guide to resolving conflict in the office By Daniel A. Bobrow, MBA President, American Dental Company Part one in a series of two articles Conflict is inevitable. As long as people possess the capacity for independent thought, there will be differences...
OHSU discovers potential for treating craniofacial pain
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) School of Dentistry have uncovered an interaction between two proteins in the nerve cells that carry pain information from the head and neck to the brain. The finding could play a significant role in the...
AADR Testifies in Support of Dental Amalgam at FDA Hearing
On behalf of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), AADR member Steve London, D.D.S., Ph.D., testified in support of the use of dental amalgam as a restorative material at the Food and Drug...
Study Shows Quality of Life For Both Dogs and Their Owners
Can Improve When They Buddy Up To Beat The Battle of the Bulge A Combined Dog/Owner Partnership Can Help Both Succeed in a Weight Loss Program A study by Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, “The People and Pets Exercising Together (P-PET)”...
FDA Urged to Heed Advisory Committee’s Advice
to Reject Animal Drug Linked to Antibiotic Resistance in Humans Drug Manufacturer Vows to ‘Continue to Pursue Approval Activities The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being urged to follow the recommendation of the FDA’s scientific advisory committee to...
Exposure Trial Shows ALLERCA Cat is Hypoallergenic
Allergy Sufferers Can Now Enjoy Cat Ownership Dr. Sheldon Spector, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine, has designed a protocol and conducted an independent exposure trial that attests the hypoallergenic nature of the ALLERCA GD cat, the...
Interviewing and Selecting Employment Applicants
The personal interview represents the basic process to use for selecting the best available person for a job. Relying on the interview process for finding the right person demands that the interviewer possesses the necessary expertise for planning and conducting an...
From the Editor: Hiring, Orientation and Firing: A Constant Struggle
It’s amazing how prevalent issues involving hiring and firing personnel can be across a spectrum of vocations. As probably the only practice management publication that conducts ongoing surveys of doctors in various healthcare professions, our surveys continue to...
Profile: Dr. Steve Schoemer, OD
A Major Practice Management Success Story Practice: Vision Concepts Location: Springfield, TN Dr. Steve Schoemer, an optometrist twenty miles outside of Nashville, Tennessee, had a cash flow problem. Although his practice was growing 10-20 percent every year, his...
AGD Launches Dry Mouth Awareness Effort
Some Medication Warning Labels Are Tough to Swallow More than 32 million adults are at risk of dry mouth, or xerostomia, caused mainly by prescription and over-the-counter drug products. Dry mouth can lead to extensive decay, serious oral infections and make it...
Who Does What:
Confusion About Eye Care Providers, Training, M.D. Status Survey Highlights Need for Education; Consumer Group Offers Tips, White Paper A survey commissioned by the National Consumers League finds that when it comes to eye care, many consumers – in Oklahoma and across...
Boom in Baby Boomer Eye Disease Anticipated
Optometrists Anticipate ‘Boom’ in Eye Diseases as Baby Boomers Turn 60 – Save Your Vision Month Promotes Regular Eye Exams In a year where an estimated 2.8 million baby boomers will celebrate their 60th birthday, age-related eye diseases are becoming increasingly...
Eye Fungus Reports Increase as Cases Emerge in United States
American Optometric Association Urges Americans to Take Proper Contact Lens Precautions to Protect Against ‘Fusarium Keratitis’ Doctors of optometry from the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) Contact Lens and Cornea Section urged contact lens wearers to take...
Clinical Test for Saliva-based Oral Cancer Detection Ready
Oral cancer is the 6th most common cancer in men and the 14th most common cancer in women. In the US, oral cancer will be diagnosed in an estimated 30,000 Americans this year and will cause more than 8,000 deaths. The disease kills approximately one person every hour....
US Prepares for Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu in Wild Birds
Avian Influenza (AI) — the bird flu — is a disease caused by a virus that infects domestic poultry and wild birds (geese and ducks and shorebirds). Each year, there is a bird flu season just as there is for humans and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse...
Setting and Attaining Goals
The Targeting of Production A very important aspect of group coordination and leadership is providing the staff with goals that are real to them and that they feel are attainable. In order to raise the production to the range you desire, the targets (both monthly and...
PROFILE: DIRK BEYER, OD
PRACTICE: BIG SKY EYE CARE LOCATION: HAMILTON, MONTANA How a Doctor Made his Wife Happy Dr. Dirk Beyer, an optometrist based in Hamilton, Montana had no idea how much he didn’t know when he came out of optometry school. “I had no idea how to run a practice,” said Dr....
PROFILE: CRAIG SLACK, DDS
PRACTICE: CLINTONVILLE DENTAL LOCATION: CLINTONVILLE, OHIO How One Dentist Went From a Struggling New Practice to a Successful, Happy Life. “I spent seven months as an associate/slave and decided that was not how I was going to have a career in dentistry,” said Dr....
Natural Treatments Offer Best Hope For Cats With Feline AIDS
A new book offers hope for cats diagnosed with Feline AIDS, a disease once thought to be untreatable. Feline AIDS: A Pet Owner’s Guide by Thomas Hapka explains the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and outlines effective treatment strategies. Often confused with HIV...
ADEA & AADR Launch Innovative Faculty Recruitment Program
American Dental Education Association, American Association of Dental Research Launch Innovative Faculty Recruitment Program With the dental school faculty shortage expected to grow in the future, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and the American...
73 Percent of Americans Lack Awareness about Vision Problem
Survey: 73 Percent of Americans Lack Awareness about Vision Problem Affecting Millions; Optometrists Concerned about Effects of Untreated Vision Impairment A new survey shows that many Americans have little, if any, knowledge of low vision, a term that describes...
Laser Eye Surgery and Baseball
Laser Eye Surgery Does Not Improve Major League Baseball Performance University Researchers Find No Improvement in Offensive Performance There has been great public interest in laser refractive eye surgery (e.g. LASIK) with many prominent sports figures advocating its...
Avian Influenza Strains Continue Growing
Pandemic Potential at High Risk Beginning in late July 2005, official reports to the OIE (World Organisation of Animal Health) from government authorities indicate that the H5N1 virus has expanded its geographical range. Both Russia and Kazakhstan reported outbreaks...
Displaced Dentists, Hurricane Katrina and Reciprocity
By Barry Levy, DDS When the dental profession retains provincial ideas about how the profession is to be run and fails to address problems that exist, the idea of reciprocity between states in America becomes an issue that may slowly gain traction, but hasn’t been...
Veterinary Foundation Offers Grants To Cover Costs
Veterinary Foundation Offers Grants To Cover Costs Of Care After Hurricanes The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is urging veterinarians to apply for grants of up to $2,000 to cover costs incurred by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Eligible applicants are...
Direct Reimbursement Plans: A trend waiting to happen
by Craig Beauchamp Direct Reimbursement Plans (DRP) may be the upcoming trend to provide for one’s dental care needs, while at the same time letting many dentists regain control of their profession and get the financial compensation they deserve for their work. The...
Americans Eye Yellow Pages When Searching for Optometrists
Americans Eye Yellow Pages When Searching for Optometrists ”Optometrist” Yellow Pages Heading Referenced 47 Million Times Per Year Whether seeking vision therapy, eyewear, contact lenses or a comprehensive eye exam, more than 13 million Americans look for optometrists...
From The Editor: Getting New Patients: A Practice Management Mantra
Doctors all over the country and the world are still trying to figure out, “How can I get more new patients?” The quest for new patients or customers is not indigenous to the medical professions. Every business is looking to find more people to buy their wares or sell...
Getting New Patients: A Practice Management Mantra
Doctors all over the country and the world are still trying to figure out, “How can I get more new patients?” The quest for new patients or customers is not indigenous to the medical professions. Every business is looking to find more people to buy their wares or sell...
Successful Treatment for Canine Spinal Injuries
Lab tests have shown that an injection of a liquid polymer known as polyethylene glycol (PEG), if administered within 72 hours of serious spinal injury, can prevent most dogs from suffering permanent spinal damage. Even when the spine is initially damaged to the point...
New NIH Cataract Study
NEW NIH STUDY LINKS LEAD EXPOSURE WITH INCREASED RISK OF CATARACT Results from a new study show that lifetime lead exposure may increase the risk of developing cataracts. Researchers found that men with high levels of lead in the tibia, the larger of the two leg bones...
Vets Keep Close Watch on Canine Disease
Veterinarians Keep Close Watch on Potentially Deadly Canine Disease – New Website Profiles the Latest Info on Recent Outbreak of Leptospirosis - From Boston and Buffalo, to Chicago, Denver, Houston and San Diego, veterinarians across the country are keeping a close...
Survey of Optometrists
SURVEY OF OPTOMETRISTS SHOWS FINANCES AND STAFF AS MAJOR PROBLEMS AFFECTING GROWTH In the second in a series of articles addressing surveys The Practice Solution Magazine has conducted on the optometry, veterinary and dentistry professions, we are releasing the...
The rHuPH20 Enzyme
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. a development stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of recombinant human enzymes, announced that results from new preclinical studies with Halozyme’s recombinant...
Treatment For Childhood’s Most Common Eye Disorder
Surprising results from a nationwide clinical trial show that many children age 7 through 17 with amblyopia (lazy eye) may benefit from treatments that are more commonly used on younger children. Treatment improved the vision of many of the 507 older children with...
West Nile Virus Remains Threat For Unprotected Horses
1,341 U.S. Cases Reported in 2004: Equine Health Experts Urge Vaccination OVERLAND PARK, Kan./PRNewswire/ — Despite extensive media coverage of equine West Nile virus — as well as the availability of a vaccine for horses — the potentially deadly disease continues to...
California VMA Files Lawsuit Against City of West Hollywood
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA /PRNewswire/ — The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) filed a lawsuit against the City of West Hollywood in Los Angeles County Superior Court in March challenging the city’s ban on animal declawing. The CVMA contends the ordinance —...
Noah’s Ark Veterinarians International to Provide Assistance
Noah’s Ark Veterinarians International will be providing emergency veterinary assistance to animal victims. In the wake of the tsunami devastation, Sri Lanka is under an increased threat of disease outbreaks. Noah’s Ark Veterinarians International (NOAV), a newly...
From The Editor’s Desk
They say that change is good. If that’s true, then The Practice Solution Magazine will take a nice step forward this year with the changes we have underway First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Matthew Bratschi and I’ve recently accepted the position of...
Publishers Note: Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Some changes have occurred within The Practice Solution Magazine over this past quarter. I have moved on to the official publisher position for The Practice Solution Magazine and we have recruited a new managing editor to handle the day-to-day...
From The Editor: Practice Management
Practice management. Those two words sum up the success or failure of any doctor who owns his or her own practice. Running a practice can sometimes seem to require eight arms and three clones of oneself. From governmental regulations to hiring and training staff, to...
PROFILE: Dr. Kathleen Bartos and Lou Bartos
How did Halifax Veterinary Clinic go from $0 in collections to over $1 million a year? PROFILE Dr. Kathleen Bartos and Lou Bartos Practice: Halifax Veterinary Clinic Location: Port Orange, Florida A general small animal veterinarian, who specializes in veterinary...
PROFILE: Dr. Tommasina Pasqua
Fresh Out of School Michigan Optometrist goes from $84,000 to $425,000 in 3 years! PROFILE: Dr. Tommasina Pasqua Practice: Harrisville Eye Care Location: Harrisville, Michigan A 1998 Dean’s List graduate of the Michigan School of Optometry at Ferris State University,...
Haas School of Business and Optometry Join for Business Plan
BERKELEY /Ute Frey, UC Berkeley/- Optometry students at the University of California, Berkeley, are getting a leg up in basic business skills from Haas School of Business faculty as part of a special program to prepare future optometrists to manage a private practice....
Guest Column: By Dr. Barry Levy DDS
DENTISTRY AT RISK: COMPLYING TO MINIMUM STANDARDS OF INFECTION CONTROL By: Dr. Barry Levy DDS If you are not aware of, or are not complying with minimum standards of infection control, you can be in for a rude awakening. While the below article addresses cases...
From the Editor
Welcome to The Practice Solution Magazine! The goal of The Practice Solution Magazine is to provide practice owners with practice management information that will assist them in achieving success. It is a commonly known fact that the vast majority of owners have had...
Preferred Provider? by Dr. Charles S. Horn, III, DDS
Some months back, we did an interview concerning practice management with Dr. Charles S. Horn. At the end of that interview, Dr. Horn told us about a letter he had written concerning working with insurance companies. He asked if we would like to look at it and...
From Burned Out to Booming: A Case Study
After being in practice for some years this doctor was seriously considering closing down his practice and pursuing a different profession. His enthusiasm for practicing had reached an all time low and he was feeling burned out. He missed those days earlier in his...
Five Steps to HIPAA Privacy Rule Compliance
Help for Handling the Frustrations of HIPAA Compliance HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, became law in 1996. Its original intent was to help employees change jobs and keep their health insurance by making their coverage “portable”....